I Brought Her Back
by gracefulcluts
Summary: Three years after the Reaper invasion, things are starting to go back to normal all over the Galaxy. Mass Relays are being repaired, the Council is back, and C-Sec has a new trainer- Garrus Vakarian. But him accepting that position is nothing compared to the return of Jane Shepard. What will this "power couple" be up to?
1. Chapter 1

I lay on my back, panting. "Holy shit..." Laughing breathlessly, I look at the woman next to me in bed. "Someone's making up for lost time..."

"Look who's talking," Shepard smiles and rests her head on my arm, her messy red hair falling across her face. I reach over and tuck it behind her ear before pulling up the sheets to cover our bare bodies.

"Hey, you started it." I sigh and smile. "I see you remembered that thing I like... You said that's normal during human intercourse?"

"As normal as the thing _I_ like in _Turian_ intercourse, apparently." She laughs and leans up to kiss my cheek. "God, I missed this... Well, as much as I can miss something while being... y'know... dead..."

"Hey, don't remind me. Can't we just lay here and enjoy the moment?"

"Not for too long... You need to go to work, remember?" I groan when she reminds me, pulling the covers up over my head.

"Can't I call in sick or something?"

"Not on your first day," Shepard laughs and pulls the covers away from my head. "I'll see you at lunch." I chuckle lightly and flip myself so I'm over her.

"On one condition... You up for another round?"

"I thought you'd never ask..." Oh, the look she gives me as she speaks. I smile and pull up the sheets over our heads once more.

"Hey, Scars. I was wondering if you were going to show up today." Vega pats my shoulder as I walk into the large, open white room.

"Wouldn't miss it," I say, despite the conversation I had with Shepard not more than an hour ago. A line of C-Sec recruits are against the back wall, and they all salute me as I walk up. Not surprisingly, over half of them are Turian, but there are also a couple Asari and Humans. What _is_ surprising, though, is the Drell center right.

"Hey, I remember you. Kolyat, right?" I say as I hold out my hand to him.

"Yes, sir," He begins as he shakes my hand. "You knew my father."

"Your father was a good man, and a hell of a shot." I nod at him. "If you're half as good as he was, then we're lucky to have you."

"Thank you." He smiles as I go back to my spot in front of the line next to Vega. I shift a little, trying to get used to the armor again.

"Alright," I begin. "I'm sure Vega here has explained this before, but I'm going to say the whole damn thing again because I'm sure he missed _something_."

"Hey!" Vega objects, but I just laugh before continuing.

"This room may look empty, but with a push of a button, it can be changed to nearly any location you can imagine. Tuchanka, Rannoch, Earth, even the Presidium. Holographic enemies will come at you from every angle, but just because they're holos doesn't mean they won't pack a punch. Oh no. They will give you the shock of a lifetime if they get close enough to hit you. And that's just close-combat. If they manage to get you with a round, that'll sting like a real bullet wound." I walk to a console near the door and press a button. The wall behind the recruits lifts up to expose one hell of an armory. They all step back and stare, almost in awe.

"You've got your pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, and my personal favorite..." I reach for a Viper sniper rifle and pick it up, loving the feel of it in my hands again. "I prefer to take my shots from afar. Vega prefers shotguns, if I remember correctly. Even Shepard has a favorite. She loved her Carnifex, but a soldier like her, she could kill anything with any weapon she got her hands on." I put the Viper back on the rack and step back once more.

"I'm sure by now you have figured which weapon you're best with." I pause as I watch them. "Go on, what are you waiting for?"

They all reach for a weapon, and I smile as I see Kolyat pick up the rifle I just put back. They get back in line and stand at attention.

"Now, your weapons are loaded with practice slugs of course. Not like I'm going to give you real bullets while I'm in the room. This way it won't hurt if one of your comrades accidentally shoots you in the ass. Well, you'll feel it, but it won't leave a mark." I make my way back to the console and begin to type in the first location.

"First off, let's start with Tuchanka. Lots of cover, and minimal civilians in the area. Oh, I forgot to mention. There will be other, non-hostile holos. It's also your job to determine which holos want to shoot you and which are just getting out of the line of fire." I hit the button, and the room begins to shift. Walls pop up, colors change, even stairs to an upper-level area on the course appear.

"Good luck." I say as the holograms pop up, and the recruits scatter.

"Well," Vega speaks up as he leans on the wall next to me. "This'll be fun to watch." I laugh and lean back as well.

"Got that right. Still think I should have taken that Council position?" I ask.

"No comment."

"Fair enough, Vega."


	2. Chapter 2

"There you are," I smile as I hear Shepard walk up behind me in the mess hall. I turn around and am greeted with a kiss as I pull her into an embrace. Vega makes a sort of gagging sound, to which Shepard gives him a look.

"What, are you jealous, Vega? Did your appointment with the consort get pushed back again?" She says with a smirk.

"Ouch, Lola. That one hurt." Vega holds his hand over his heart sarcastically, and she just laughs. I laugh as well and lean my head against hers.

"I knew I loved you for a reason," I say with a smile.

"I guess it's Pick on James Day, huh? Muchas gracias." Vega smiles as he walks back to the table with all the recruits. As he sits down, I literally see Shepard do a double-take.

"Is that Kolyat?" She asks, surprised.

"Yeah," I answer. "Want to go over and say hi?"

"I... I shouldn't..." She starts, glancing at the floor. "He probably won't even remem-"

"You're Jane Shepard." I cut her off before she can finish, because I know where she was going. "There's no one in this galaxy alive right now that won't remember you, especially Kolyat. You're the reason he and Thane started talking again. You basically saved his life." I move my hand to her chin and lift her head to meet her eyes.

"You should."

After a couple seconds of thinking, she nods and slowly walks over to the table. I stand back and watch as all the recruits stand up and salute. She brushes it off, obviously telling them the usual "I'm not active military, please don't salute, it's awkward" line. She's only been back a week, and it already feels like she never left. Like she never... died. Again.

She walks around the table to Kolyat, and they shake hands and talk for a bit, obviously at the surprise of the other recruits. I guess it was one thing for me to know Kolyat, but for the great Commander Shepard to know him must be a whole other level.

I see something different, though, in the way they're talking. Almost... solemn. My heart feels heavy all of a sudden as I see Kolyat wipe away tears, and Shepard not even hesitate to comfort him with a hug. I smile and wait patiently for a bit longer as they continue to talk, and when she finally comes back, I see her wiping tears away herself.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask, taking her hand in mine.

"That was... a lot more emotional than I was prepared for..." She sniffs and looks up at me with a small smile. I brush her hair out of her face.

"I'm sure... I'm glad he's doing okay, though."

"Yeah. Me too. He told me that they're getting close to a cure."

"For Kepral's Syndrome?" I ask, to which she nods.

"If only they were this close when Thane was still here..." She says with a sigh, leaning her head against my shoulder.

"He was a good man. At least he's with his wife, now." I say as I pull Shepard close, resting my chin on her head.

"Yeah..." She sighs, and I hug her a little tighter.

"You know..." I begin, looking down at her with a smile. "I'm sure Vega can handle the rest of the simulations today... I can take the rest of the day off for you."

"Don't you dare," Shepard laughs lightly and looks up at me. "Someone should be there to make sure he doesn't mess up."

"Hey, if he doesn't make mistakes then he will never grow as a person."

"I heard that!" I hear from the table as a bread roll hits me on the head, which Shepard catches and chucks right back at Vega. It pegs him right between the eyes, then lands on his plate. The recruits burst out laughing, as do Shepard and I while Vega munches the roll like nothing happened.

"You know, you taking the rest of the day off might be good after all." She says after catching her breath from all the laughter. "I have someone I want you to meet."

"Should I be scared? If you're going to introduce me to your parents, you're a couple years late." I joke as she leads me out the door of the mess hall and towards the rapid transit console.

"Yeah, I know you met my mother after London. It meant a lot that you asked her permission before starting the project."

"Well, if she's anything like you, I figured better safe than sorry. So, where are we going anyway?"

"You'll see." Shepard says as she hits a few buttons and a taxi hovers down. She climbs in and gets situated behind the wheel, and I follow in behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

"So," Shepard begins. "You've probably been wondering what I've been doing all day"

"Well, yes, but I wasn't going to pry." I say, looking at her. Ever since the Citadel was moved to the Sol system, the light changed for the better. Something about their sun brings out the color of Shepards skin like no other sun can. I actually find myself staring more often.

"Well, I did some research, and I'm owed a shit-ton of credits in back pay from the Alliance... Let's just say I found something to put them into."

"Well, that's sure piqued my interest." I admit with a smile, and I find myself staring at her now. She glances over and catches me, and I swear I see a little blush on her cheeks.

"What?" She asks, obviously a little flustered.

"Oh, nothing... Just daydreaming."

"Then I'm glad I'm the one driving right now," She teases.

A short while later, we arrive at what is apparently the destination, and she brings the taxi down at an apartment with a private parking bay and everything. A _very_ nice car sits off to the side, but there's room for four cars total.

"Wow, this place is impressive. Nice car, too. Does the person you want me to meet live here?" I ask as I watch Shepard climb out first, not wasting any opportunity to get a good look at her ass. I follow her out and stand up straight, looking around.

"Yes and no," She says with a smirk as the taxi disappears from view.

"That's _so_ not a good answer..." I mutter under my breath before realizing something. "Hold on... wasn't this Andersons place?" Before I can get an answer, a Volus walks out of the apartment and approaches us.

"Everything went through." He breathes as he types something on his omni-tool, and Shepard does as well. "Congratulations. Your items have been. Transferred as well. Enjoy your new home."

"Wait, what?" I ask, wide-eyed. She ignores me and thanks the Volus before he disappears into a taxi. She finally turns around and gives me the whole human "ta-da" gesture. I stand there, kind of in awe. Apparently, my lack of reaction is worrisome to her.

"Uhm... You're not mad, are you? I just... I wanted to surprise you and I figured this would be a good way to do it-"

I cut her off with a kiss, my hands at her waist as I pull her close. After several seconds, I pull back from the kiss but keep her against me.

"Why the hell would I be mad?" I lean my forehead against hers. "This is amazing." Even with my hands at her waist, I can feel her loosen up and relax.

"I'm glad. Khalee got in touch with me, and she said Anderson would want us to live here. Said we'd make better 'use' of it." She says with a smile before transferring the info to my omni-tool as well. I practically gasp when I see it.

"Holy shit. The car, too?" I ask, and she nods with a smile. I laugh kiss her again, literally picking her up as I walk towards the front door, holding her with my arm at her back and my other under her knees. She laughs as the door opens automatically, and I take a quick look around before setting her on the couch in the front room. The place is huge, almost like I remember it. It's not exactly the same, likely part of it was destroyed and had to be repaired.

I barely stand upright, and she's already starting to unbutton her shirt. It doesn't take more than that for me to take the hint. I've mastered getting out of my armor in record-time, which has come in handy the past week. We've had a lot to make up for.

I climb on top of her, tracing my hand along her bare skin. From her collarbone to her breasts, to her stomach to her thighs, I take a moment to just enjoy _her_. But that moment doesn't last long as I'm snapped back to the... _task at hand_. Quite literally. I glance down and chuckle, watching as Shepard trails her fingers along my body.

" _Someone's_ getting impatient..." I move her hand away and lift it above her head, pinning it there lightly with one hand. Leaning in, I trail my mandibles along her skin, watching as the goose bumps, I think humans call them, appear on Shepards skin. I hear her moan softly, a Human tell that... Well, I'm doing something right.

"Garrus..." She breathes, her cheeks turning red. I love the way she looks when she's aroused. Cheeks flushed, in a constant... almost _embarrassed_ state. I chuckle and meet her eyes, my hand slowly moving down her body, feeling her skin. It was odd at first, considering humans are so soft and... kind of squishy. But I've sure grown to love it. Love her.

"Mmn... Yes, Jane?" I ask as she moans again, clearly struggling to find the words.

"I want to... try something new..." She huffs as she looks at me, the lust in her eyes almost enough to send me into a frenzy. I smile, certainly intrigued. She leans up and whispers it in my ear, and it stops me in my tracks.

"What?" I ask, genuinely confused.

As far as we both know, we're the only Human-Turian couple on the Citadel. We learned the hard way early on that if we're not careful, she has a reaction. Thankfully we discovered a medication that can help with that, but what she suggested...

"We don't know what will happen, Jane." I say, leaning my head against hers. "It could hurt you... Hell, it could kill you, even _with_ the medicine..."

"Nothing's happened yet," she says, moving her other hand to the other side of my face. I move my hand to hers, leaning into her touch.

"I know, but... I love you. I can't help but be worried." I say softly.

"I love you too, but you don't need to be." She smiles and kisses my head. "I haven't changed my mind." I sigh and kiss her hand.

"Are you sure?" I ask. She nods and kisses my head once more. I can't say no to her, and I trust her judgment, so... what the hell?

We give into each other, and it feels like our first night all over again. Two people, in love despite it all.

 _If she really wants me to, then... I will. I will make the rest of the day all about her._

 _I will make the rest of my life all about her._

I almost hate to admit it, but... it looks like she was right. She sure seemed to enjoy it. I did, too. _Damn_. We stay like that, as one, for what feels like an hour in blissful silence. It's eventually broken by Shepard, a smirk on her face.

"I told you..." She says softly. I laugh, leaning down to kiss her.

"I'll never doubt you again." Smiling, I slowly help her sit up.

"Yeah you will." She jokes. It looks like she wants to say something else, but I have to say something, first.

"Will you marry me?" I ask, taking her hands in mine. "Jane, I love you. I want this to last forever, and I want to be your husband. I've done some research, and it doesn't look like Turian marriage is much different than Humans, so-"

This time, _she_ is the one to cut _me_ off with a kiss. And I'm not complaining at all. After a while, she pulls back, her hands on each side of my face.

"It's a good thing you stopped me when I did," I laugh awkwardly. "Who knows how much longer I would have gone on for?" Shepard leans her forehead against mine, and I swear her eyes are watering. I pull back and look at her, extremely concerned, borderline frantic.

"Jane, are you okay? Is it starting to hurt? I'm so sorry, I-"

"Yes."

"I'll call a doctor, maybe they can help and do something-" Shepard kisses me again, snapping me out of my frenzy. She looks at me, tears in her eyes but a joyful smile on her face.

"Yes."


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of the day was pure bliss. Shepard finally managed to convince me that she's okay and unharmed from our... "session", which bodes well. She also made a pregnancy joke, to which my reaction was, as I assume, better than she ever could have imagined. She's never going to let me live that down, I can already tell.

It's the next morning now, and the first thing she did was tell Liara the news. I haven't even rolled out of bed, and I can hear them practically giggling from the kitchen.

"Did he really just... ask? Like that?" I hear Liara ask as I stand up, my legs a little shaky from the previous day.

"Pretty much, yeah." Shepard responds, and I can hear the smile in her voice. I walk out of our room and into the hall, heading towards the kitchen. "I mean, I kind of saw it coming."

"We all did. You have been together this long, and been through so much. It's a wonder he didn't ask you sooner."

"Yeah," Shepard laughs. "Don't tell Garrus that."

"Too late," I say as I turn the corner. "I already heard everyth- _whoa_!"

I quickly step back out of view when I realize that Liara is actually in the kitchen _with_ Shepard and not just chatting with her on omni-tool. And I'm not even dressed yet. They both start laughing, and I wave my hand around the corner.

"Uh... Just a moment, ladies..." I hurry back to our room and get dressed, then casually walk into the kitchen like nothing happened.

"Having a fun talk?"

"Mmh... You can say that," Shepard says with a smile as she walks over, greeting me with a kiss. I pull her into an embrace, leaning my head against hers.

"You could have at least warned me that Liara was coming over," I say. "It would have spared me my dignity."

"Then we wouldn't have been able to hold this against you," Liara says with almost a smirk.

"You women and your ulterior motives..." I laugh and kiss Shepards head before letting her out of my hug. "Any topic of interest?"

"Aside from our apparently not-so-surprising engagement?" She says, leaning against the counter. "Not really. I did ask Liara to be my maid-of-honor, though."

"Oh yeah, I read about that." I say. "I don't remember specifics, but that's a pretty big deal, right?"

"Yes. We're still working things out, but I already have an idea for her bachelorette party." Liara says with a grin.

"No. Nope." Shepard says with her hands in the air. "Between you, EDI, Ash and Tali, I can only imagine the chaos." Liara just laughs.

"Shepard, you're my best friend. I wouldn't put you through the torture of anything like male dancers... without Garrus' permission."

"I'm not sure if I _like_ where this is going, or hate it." I admit, trying not to laugh. Shepard groans and holds her face in her hands.

"I already regret this..." I hear her mumble.

"Regret what, picking Liara or saying yes?" I ask with a smile, draping my arm over her shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure you both already know the answer to that."

"That we do," I say, laughing. "So, since we're basically going to be doing the way Humans do, is there anything I need to figure out?"

"Well, you should pick a best man." Shepard says, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"A best what?" I ask. "Is that, like... a male version of whatever Liara's doing?"

"To put it plainly," Liara speaks up again. "They will be in charge of a bachelor party."

"Hmm... I think I have an idea." I say, pulling Shepard close. "And I'll make sure he doesn't try anything involving dancers, because he'll know I'll kill him." She laughs and kisses me.

"That's my Garrus."

"Hey, Scars!" I hear Vega run up, grabbing my attention on my way to target practice with the recruits. "I heard the news. You and Lola are getting hitched?"

"Now that's not a word I recognize." I say. "I assume that means something along the lines of 'married'? Then yes, we are."

"Good to hear, man. Hey, any ideas who you're going to choose as your groomsmen? That is if you're doing it the Human way. If you're doing it the _Turian_ way, then... Yeah, I can't help you there."

"I'm not sure about all of them yet, but I do think I have a lead on who I'm going to choose as my 'best man', I think that's what you call them."

"Really? Who?" He asks. I just pat his shoulder with a smile before starting to walk again. It takes him a second before it seems to click.

"Hold on, wait. Me?" He asks again, trying to catch up with me.

"Only if you're up to it. One condition, though. No dancers."

"What? Come on, _every_ bachelor party has _dancers_!"

"Well, mine's not." I say as I walk through the door and into the expansive, empty room. That's the end of _that_ conversation, at least for now. The recruits are lined up along the wall just like the previous day. I hit the button and the wall lifts up, exposing the weapons.

"Alright, I want everyone to pick up your preferred weapon." I say, then watch as they do. "Now, switch with the person on your left."

They look at me, confused before doing as I say.

"You should know by now that you won't _always_ have your preferred weapon within arms reach at all time. That's why, the next few days, will be all about getting you out of your comfort zone. Whatever weapon you have now, you will be alternating to whatever weapon is to the left of it on the racks. For example, anyone with a sniper rifle now, you will be using the Machine gun. Machine gun, you've got shotgun. Shotgun to Assault rifle, assault rifle to pistol. Then since pistol is on the opposite end, you'll be back to sniper rifle. Any questions?"

Silence.

"Good. Now, yesterday we did something easy with the weapons you're proficient in. Let's see you try the same map, different enemies, with harder weapons." With the press of a button, the room begins to shift again.

"Knock yourselves out. But... try not to actually _knock_ yourselves out, I'm already used to saving Vega's ass. I don't need to save any of yours, too."

"Hey!" I hear him say as the recruits scatter, and I can't help but laugh.

"So..." I begin, leaning against the wall. "Can I ask you a few questions about the whole Human wedding thing?"

"Ask away, Scars."


	5. Chapter 5

The day has become progressively more and more entertaining. One of the recruits got a black eye because a _different_ recruit underestimated the recoil of a shotgun and got an elbow to the face. Aside from that, they're doing good so far. Especially Kolyat.

The work day is over, and I am happy to finally be home. _Home_. Our own apartment, and not some one-bedroom wannabe. I get out of the car and walk to the door, only to enter and find Shepard, EDI, Liara, and Tali huddled around a table looking at something on a screen.

"My home has been overrun by women. I'm not sure I can deal with this today." I say with a laugh, and they all turn around, trying to block my view from whatever is on the screen. That gets my attention.

"What are you ladies looking at?" I ask, trying to peek over their heads. There are perks to being well over six feet. Shepard runs up and laughs.

"Oh, nothing." She says as she tries to turn me around. "Just dresses, no big deal."

"Shepard, you weren't supposed to tell him." Liara speaks up.

"It's Garrus. He wouldn't stop bugging us until he found out." Shepard says, and I laugh.

"You know me so well." I admit, pulling her into a hug before looking at everyone else. "Tali, I thought you went to Rannoch."

"I did, but I came back when I heard the news. I wouldn't miss this for anything." She replies, clearly smiling, but everyone's attention is drawn to the door when it opens.

"I made it! I made it." Ashley says as she practically runs in, dropping her bag by the door. "The ship was delayed. There's a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, so everything to and from that region is going to be off for a few days."

Shepard walks over and hugs Ash, and they all greet each other and laugh and it suddenly feels like I'm not even in the room anymore.

"I'll let you get back to it," I say before turning and beginning to walk away, but Shepard runs up and stops me with a kiss. I smile and run my fingers through her hair, holding her close.

"I love you," She says as she looks up at me. I smile and lean my forehead against hers.

"I love you, too. Now go on and have fun, but just know something. It doesn't matter what you wear, Jane. You'll always be beautiful." Her cheeks go pink as I say that, and I hear everyone from the kitchen collectively go "aww" at the exact same time. The smile on her face says it all, and she kisses me again before turning and walking back to the others. I hear EDI as I turn and walk down the hall.

"What about this one, Shepard?"

"Too much beading. Do you know how heavy that would be? I spent the last ten years of my life in armor, I'd rather not feel like I'm wearing it down the aisle."

I'm able to keep myself occupied while Shepard is in the other room. No matter how much research I do, I'll never run out of questions. But hey, I'll have the rest of my life to learn about Humans. But more importantly, I have the rest of my life to learn about her.

I'm sitting on the bed when Shepard walks in, and I look up from my omni-tool.

"Hey. Any luck finding the 'perfect dress'?" I ask as she climbs on the bed next to me and lays her head on my lap. I smile and stroke her hair as she contentedly sighs.

"Not yet, but I think I have a few ideas. I have an appointment next week to go try some on."

"You have to make an appointment to _try on dresses_?" I ask, befuddled.

"It's not as simple as just going to the store to buy a new shirt or pair of shoes," She says, looking up at me, her brown eyes sparkling in the light. "Once you find the right dress, you have to be measured and sized, and it has to be made specifically for you. It's weird, I know." She laughs and takes my hand, bringing it to her lips to kiss.

"I'm not qualified to question your traditions." I say with a smile. "Oh, I got in touch with Grunt and Wrex." Shepard sits up and turns to face me.

"What did they say? Will they be able to make it?" She asks.

"Wrex and Bakara won't be able to, but it's not surprising considering they've got a lot on their plate on Tuchanka. You know, her being pregnant again and all. They send their regards, and they're also sending 'gifts' along with Grunt. He said he's not big on weddings, but he wouldn't miss his chance to, and I quote, 'throw some tank jokes at Shepard.' I also got to meet little Mordin before bedtime. He looks just like Wrex, I'm not even kidding." Shepard laughs and rests her head on my shoulder. I wrap my arm around her and hold her close.

"You know... I've actually been thinking more about that..." I say softly, and she looks at me curiously.

"About... kids." I admit. "Before the final battle in London, I brought it up."

"I remember. Something about a 'turian-human baby'." She says with a smirk. I laugh lightly and rest my head against hers.

"Something like that." I begin again. "But... I'm being serious here, Jane. I think we should."

"Should what?" She asks.

"Start a family. I mean, assuming biology doesn't work in our favor and all... there are a lot of orphans... Damn, I hate that word." I sigh and awkwardly rub my neck. "But... I mean, there are... you know, empty rooms, and... I can think of worse ways to fill them than with children..." I trail off, waiting for Shepard to say something. She doesn't for a while, but when she finally does, it's worth the wait.

"You'll make a great father," She says as she leans up to kiss me. My heart skips a beat, and I smile as I pull her on top of me.


	6. Chapter 6

It didn't take long for us to plan out the wedding in more detail. Also, as it turns out, it seems we'll be getting the majority of _everything_ for free, no matter how much we object. Apparently, being able to say you're the florist or caterer that the great Commander Shepard used in her wedding is enough to make up for the lack of immediate profit.

Date is set. We didn't want to wait too long, and thankfully Shepard was able to get her dress to the top of the list. Should be ready before next week.

Venue is scheduled. Turns out the Presidium is the most popular location on the Citadel for weddings... Hell, it's probably the only one right now. Shit is still being put back together from both Sovereign _and_ the Crucible.

Wedding party inbound. It was easy for Shepard to choose her bridesmaids, but it was harder for me to choose my "groomsmen". The immediate choices were Vega, Joker, Grunt and Wrex, but since Wrex is unable to make it to the Citadel, Shepard gave me an idea. I invited Kolyat. He objected at first, but I managed to convince him. Liara and Vega have also figured out what they want to do for the parties, but Shepard and I are still in the dark about that.

Florist and caterers chosen. Florist was easy. Caterer, not so much. We ended up needing to order several due to the wide array of attendees. Plus, we discovered the hard way that the wedding itself will be streamed, thanks to the urging of the Council, across the entire fucking galaxy. Not the way we wanted it to be, but I'd still rather deal with that than be a councilor myself. Lesser of two evils.

I walk up to Shepard in the kitchen this morning, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind. She's brewing some coffee, which smells wonderful but I'm pretty sure would give me a horrible reaction if I drank any.

"Mmn... Good morning." I say as I kiss her head. She smiles and turns around, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Hey. I was going to let you sleep in today." She says, and I brush her hair out of her face.

"Well I would have, but I got a message from Grunt. He'll be docking before the hour is over."

"Good to hear. I've been wondering what it is Wrex sent with him, though." She admits, and I laugh lightly.

"Yeah. Me too. But we'll find out soon enough." I pull her into a hug. "Want to head to the docking bay and meet him when he gets off?"

"Sure. Just let me get one cup in my system, then I'll be good to go." She says with a laugh. I nod and kiss her, resting my cheek against her head.

Shepard is just finishing up her cup as we make it to the bay, and we arrive just in time to see Grunts ship dock.

"Huh. Perfect timing." I say with a smile as I lean against the wall. Looking out the window, I take a moment to just... remember. I can see the rest of the Citadel from here, and it still surprises me even now to see Reapers helping repair.

I'm suddenly snapped back to reality when I hear the sudden booming laughter of Grunt as he makes his way towards us.

"I knew you guys would be here!" He says with a grin. "Hey Shepard, how'd you like the tank?"

"Not wasting any time, are you, Grunt?" She asks, laughing as they greet each other.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He says in response, still grinning. He turns his attention to me, and we shake hands. "I never figured you the type to get married, Garrus."

"I've been getting that a lot lately." I say. "Sorry to suddenly change the subject and all, but we've been _very_ curious about this 'gift' Wrex sent with you."

"Curious is an understatement," Shepard says, laughing.

"They'll be coming out soon." He says, and Shepard raises an eyebrow.

"'They'?"

Grunt just gives us his laugh. Almost on cue, a pair of humans push out two crates on a cart, one fairly large and the other much smaller. Noises can be heard, and I suddenly get a feeling what - or _who_ \- Wrex sent as "gifts". They walk up and hand Grunt something, which he immediately passes to Shepard.

"Wait- leashes?" She asks, more confused than I've seen her in years.

"You're shitting me," I say to Grunt, and he just walks over to open the bottom crate.

A solid mass of tan and blue darts out, causing nearby people to shriek and nearly fall over, before it parks itself at Shepards feet.

"Urz?" She doesn't need an answer to know it's the same varren we met on Tuchanka before the whole situation with the Collectors... minus a leg. She kneels down and pets him, and it's obvious he remembers her.

"Damn thing took out a Brute on Tuchanka by himself. Lost the leg but saved several members of Clan Urdnot." Grunt says as Shepard attaches the leash, standing up again. "Turns out they can be tamed pretty well, especially this guy. Also, turns out it's not just Krogan making up for lost time after the genophage cure. Probably fathered at least four litters, and that's just _after_ he lost the leg."

Grunt picks up the smaller crate and hands it to me, and I can hear the squealing and playful growling of a couple varren pups. I peek in, only to be greeted by four big blue eyes.

"They're your problem now. Maybe you can make Varren a popular pet, get them off Tuchanka. We have enough."

"I'm not sure if I want to thank Wrex... or punch him." I admit.

"Maybe both," Shepard says with a laugh. I nod in agreement, and Grunt laughs as well.

"That was one hell of a trip. I'm starving. Hope you guys have something to eat." He says before walking off. Shepard and I just look at each other.

"He hasn't changed at all." She whispers, clearly holding back another laugh.

"Not one bit."


	7. Chapter 7

Apparently, pets still aren't that big of a thing on the Citadel, and everyone is still _very_ wary of varren in general. We learned that just by the looks we got from everyone as we walked by. Grunt just casually walks in front of Shepard and I, munching on the food he got from a vendor. Quite loudly, I might add.

"That wasn't half bad," He says as he dumps his trash in a can. "Still hungry, though."

"Are you ever _not_ hungry?" Shepard asks, and Urz makes a noise, seemingly in agreement. Grunt doesn't answer. He just keeps that grin on his face.

We keep walking, but I eventually have to stop and peek into the crate again. It's getting hard to hold onto with all the movement.

"These two won't stop bouncing around in here. Can you hand me the other leashes?" I ask Shepard, and she passes them to me.

I open the crate and quickly manage to attach the leashes before they jump out themselves. The second they're out of the crate, they take off, but don't get too far. Realizing they can't run wild, they seem to settle with just tackling each other. Both the same size, but one is red while the other is more blue.

"Oh, I forgot to mention. Those two are sisters. Don't have names yet, so you ought to have fun with that." Grunt says, and I find that I need to constantly untwist the leashes.

"Come on, work with me." I mutter. Between the crate and the pups, I'm having trouble. Shepard and Grunt just laugh for a bit before I hear her whistle, and both pups stop and look up at her. She reaches and takes the crate from me and hands it to Grunt.

"Make yourself useful." She says with a smirk. Grunt just grumbles.

" _Impressive_ ," I say. She smiles and trades with me, taking the pups and giving me Urz. With another whistle, she begins walking again, and they both walk at her side calmly.

"She's got a gift," I hear Grunt say as I watch Shepard walk away.

"That's not her _only_ gift," I respond, and I find myself staring at her ass.

"Don't you know it!" Shepard calls back. Grunt grumbles again.

"I think I'm gonna puke."

We don't get too far before Tali manages to find us, and it doesn't take long for her to become completely enthralled by the varren pups.

"Ooohhh they're so _cute_!" She practically squeals as she kneels down to pet them. They get all excited and practically jump on top of her.

"So _that's_ what you Quarians look like without your masks," Grunt says, seemingly pleased. "Hot. Better than Asari."

"Good to see you too, Grunt." She stands up again, and I think I see a blush on her cheeks. "Liara and James want to see you."

"We really should get them home," Shepard says, and the pups begin tackling each other again.

"EDI and Joker will watch them. Come on, trust me. It'll be worth it." Tali turns around and begins walking away, and we all follow her.

A while later, we come up on the room where Vega and I take the recruits for training, and everyone is waiting outside, all clad in what looks to be modified combat gear. Everyone besides EDI and Joker, that is.

"What's going on here?" Shepard asks.

"Your parties," Liara begins with a smile.

"I called in a favor. Doc and I came up with an idea that would be perfect for both of you." He pauses. " _No dancers._ I promise."

"Men versus Women," Joker begins. "EDI and I will watch from the side and keep score."

"I have come up with an algorithm that will accurately monitor and record every perceived point," EDI speaks up. "I just need to gain access to the cameras in the room."

"That... actually sounds fun." Shepard says with a smile. "Bridesmaids versus Groomsmen. I seriously can't think of anything better for us."

"I got to hand it to you, Vega. Not bad." I say, patting his shoulder.

"It's not over yet." He says before stepping to the side. A couple of boxes are laying on the ground, and he hands them out to Tali, Shepard, Grunt and I. We're the only ones in casual clothes, so that's a hint of what's in the boxes.

"That is modified armor, helmets included." EDI says. "If you get shot by a member of the opposite team, it will record the estimated amount of damage caused by both the weapon and the location of impact."

"So if I nail someone in the head with my sniper rifle from across the room," Ash begins. "It might register as a one-hit kill."

"If that is the case," EDI continues. "Then the person hit will be forced to wait until the next round. Each round will continue until one team is left standing. Also, one weapon is allowed for each person, but multiples of a weapon is forbidden. Shepard and Ashley will have to choose who gets the sniper rifle."

"I'll let Ash do the sniping," Shepard says. "But just let me say something before we get too far into this." Everyone turns to look at her, but she's looking at me with a smile.

"I'm only going to be 'Shepard' for another week. You guys might want to get some practice in calling me Jane, because soon... I'll be a Vakarian."


	8. Chapter 8

We were given an hour to prepare and assign weapons before the "party" begins. Tali had the shotgun, of course, while Ash had the sniper rifle, Liara had her submachine gun, and Jane had her heavy pistol. Vega had an assault rifle, Kolyat had the pistol, Grunt had the shotgun, and I was lucky enough to keep my sniper rifle.

The first few rounds went by without a problem. We were keeping it even for the most part. But when the ladies decided to change up weapons, _that's_ when we started to lose. Tali kept her shotgun, but Liara traded in for a pistol, Ash exchanged her sniper rifle for an assault rifle. Of course Jane would pick up the sniper rifle. Once she got that in her hands, we knew we were goners.

She's got a knack for headshots, which is mildly distressing. I guess she has no qualms shooting her friends - and fiancé - between the eyes. After it was all said and done, the women beat us seven-to-three.

"You've still got it," Jane says to me as she walks up, taking off her helmet. I chuckle and take my own off before kissing her.

"It's official, though. I can't even begin to compare to you." I pull her close, and Vega runs up holding his helmet in his hands.

"Look at this!" He exclaims, holding it out to us. "Same exact spot _each time_! There's a fucking _dent_!" Jane and I just laugh.

"It seems the men didn't stand a chance," EDI says with a smile, holding the Varren pups in her arms. Urz has been asleep by Joker the entire time, and since the last round has been over, Grunt has been practically following Tali.

"I think I'm in love," He says, and she laughs awkwardly.

"I appreciate that, Grunt, but... no." She says as she takes off her mask, hooking it to her belt before attempting to change the subject. "It's getting pretty late. Should we maybe get something to eat?"

"You know what?" I begin. "Jane and I will order something for each of us, and we'll meet you at the apartment."

"Sounds good. We'll bring Urz and the pups, too." Ashley says, draping her arm over Tali as if to try and protect her. It seems to work, Grunt just stands back, looking a bit defeated.

"Thanks, Ash. We appreciate it. We'll meet you there." Jane says before the rest of the group disperses, and we head our separate ways. I wrap my arm around Jane as we walk, kissing her head.

"I'll admit it. You're a better shot than me." I say with a smile.

"Even after our target practice at the top of the Presidium?" She asks, leaning into me.

"I'm starting to think you missed that shot on purpose." I laugh, but we're cut off by a buzzing on my omni-tool. I look at it.

"I got a message from that social worker." I say, surprised. We put in an inquiry just the other day about the adoption process and were put into contact with an Asari worker.

"She said to check back after the wedding," Jane looks up at me. "What does she want?"

"She wants us to stop by her office. Says she has a favor to ask."

"Well what are we waiting for?" She says, taking my hand and leading the way.

We make it to the office in record time, and we're greeted by the social worker before we even step inside.

"Thank you so much for being able to come." She says and shakes our hands. "Sorry I couldn't explain more in the message. Come, sit down."

Jane and I both sit down in the chairs in front of her desk.

"Three siblings landed on the Citadel just this morning, and... we're trying to find a way to keep them together. A thirteen year old girl and her younger brothers, nine and five. Human. They lost their parents on Earth, and they thought they had family on the Citadel, but..." She sighs, clearly distraught. "There are two foster homes on the citadel, one that can take the girl and the other that can take the boys, but... Like I said. They've been through so much. They only have each other, and I'm trying to figure out every possible option before-"

"We'll take them." Jane says, sitting up in her chair. The Asari and I both look at her, but she just nods and says it again. "We'll take them."

"Are you sure..?" The social worker asks, concerned. "I don't want to rush or pressure you, and I know you have the wedding coming up-"

"We're sure." I say this time, taking Janes hand. "We can't knowingly let a family be broken up. They should stay together."

"That's fantastic!" The Asari stands up, nearly knocking her chair over. "I'll get the paperwork. Now this is only temporary until we find something long-term for them, but... this is wonderful, thank you so much." She runs around and shakes our hand before fetching what she needed to from a drawer in her desk.

"If you both could just... sign here." She says as she hands over a tablet, and we do. Jane and I just look at each other with... bewilderment as the Asari holds open the door to the other room. We walk in and see the kids sitting around a table, but when they look up at us, the girls eyes go wide. The worker follows us in and begins talking, a huge smile on her face.

"Kids, this is Jane and Garrus." She begins. "You'll be going home with them tonight." She then turns to us.

"I'd like you to meet Cassie, Andrew and Fletcher."

Cassie looks to be tall for a thirteen year old, with pale green eyes and blonde hair. She also has freckles that remind me of Liara. Andrew stands at his sisters shoulder with curly brown hair and hazel eyes, along with similar freckles. Fletcher is the youngest, clinging to a stuffed bear with his blond curls hanging in front of his green eyes.

"I know you," Cassie says softly. "You... You're Commander Shepard..."

"Not anymore," Jane says as she kneels down with a smile. "At least, not really. I'm no longer in the Alliance, so I'm not 'Commander', and Garrus and I will be getting married, so I won't be 'Shepard' for too much longer."

"Then why help us?" Andrew asks, holding his brothers hand. I kneel down next to Jane.

"We know what it's like to be separated from family..." I begin. "We couldn't let that happen knowing full well we could have done something to help."

I barely finish my sentence when Fletcher breaks free from his brothers hand and runs up, practically throwing himself at Jane and I. We're confused for a second before Andrew and Cassie run over as well, hugging us.

"Thank you." I hear Cassie whisper, and we pull them all into one big hug. We stay like that for a while before Jane has to pull back and wipe away her tears. She clears her throat and laughs softly.

"So... You might want to let them know we're bringing home more than just dinner..."

"Good point," I say before looking at the kids. "I hope you guys are hungry. I also hope you don't mind getting to meet a lot of our friends tonight, too."

"We haven't had anything to eat today..." Cassie says almost solemnly.

"Well you can have anything you want tonight," Jane says as she stands up, and Fletcher grabs her hand. Every face in the room lights up.

"Mac and cheese!" Fletcher exclaims, which makes Jane laugh.

"Of course."


	9. Chapter 9

Jane and I had a _very_ interesting half hour or so. Before we even left the office, she had already started ordering the necessities for Cassie and her brothers. I had sent Liara a message, telling her about the surprise and the incoming packages, and she insisted that everything will be put together and in their place before we get home - much to the dismay of the other guys, who are all still fairly sore after the women kicked our asses. Myself included.

We finally make it home after a while longer, and I walk in through the door first with several bags of food in my hands. The kids apparently find it funny to watch me struggle. Jane walks in with them right after me, and I put the food on the table. Urz is sleeping in the corner on one of the pet beds we ordered, and the pups are playing with each other while using him as a metaphorical jungle gym.

"We're here," Jane calls out, and we hear a loud crash coming from one of the bedrooms, followed by several groans.

"Sorry! I tripped!" We hear Tali yell, and Jane and I start laughing.

"Come on, Sparks! We were almost done with it." Vega sighs as they all funnel out of the room and into the hall where we can see them. Cassie stares in awe, and Andrew holds Fletchers hand as he hides behind my legs.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Cassie, Andrew and Fletcher." Jane says, motioning to them before turning to our friends.

"There's Grunt, Tali, James, Liara, EDI, Joker, Kolyat, and Ashley. And that's Urz sleeping over there in the corner. The pups don't have names yet."

Cassie and Andrew wave, and Fletcher tries to hide even more of himself behind my legs. Cassie seems to pick up on their apparent concern for Fletcher, but she speaks up.

"Fletcher's just quiet. And shy, at least at first." She says with a smile. "If he learns to like you, though, he won't leave you alone."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Tali says, which makes Cassie giggle.

"Anyway, enough introductions." Jane says as she takes Fletchers hand. "You guys can finish up whatever you were building after dinner. Tonight's a celebration!"

Halfway through dinner, one thing became very apparent. The kids have _fantastic_ memories. Cassie or Andrew didn't need to be reminded of a single name, and even Fletcher spoke up, asking a couple questions out of curiosity.

Cassie is, quite frankly, fascinated with EDI.

"What's it like? Being Synthetic?" She asks EDI.

"It was unusual at first, but I've gotten used to it. It's hard for me to remember a time when I _didn't_ have a body. When I was just an AI." EDI replies.

"Our mom worked with VI at a lab in the city. I went to work with her during the summer, so I'd like to think I've learned a bit."

"Oh? Do you enjoy it?" Liara asks.

"Well, I'm good at it..." Cassie says softly, trailing off a little.

"But do you like it?" Andrew asks his sister. "Dad always said it's better to find something you're not perfect at but enjoy, than to find something you're great at but don't."

"That's fantastic advice," I speak up. "Sounds like he learned that from experience."

"I... I guess he did." Cassie says. "He was on the Citadel when Sovereign attacked, part of the Alliance crew stationed at the time. A Captain, actually. He lost his leg in the attack and was medically discharged. They gave him the option to return with a prosthetic, but he turned it down. We asked why, and he said he never enjoyed it the way he enjoyed things like... helping us with homework. We were homeschooled from there on."

"You didn't answer the question, though." Andrew points out with a smile, and Cassie blushes.

"I... I don't know. Maybe?"

"Well, you're only thirteen." Jane begins as she places a gentle hand on the teens shoulder. "You have plenty of time to figure out what you do and don't enjoy. There's no rush." Cassie smiles shyly and appears to pick nervously at her food.

"We didn't mean to single you out," I say, feeling a bit guilty.

"No, it's okay... I figured it'd come up sooner or later." She smiles, a soft blush on her cheeks.

Seeing that smile seems to put everyone at ease. We ease back into regular dinner table conversation, avoiding any more topics involving their parents. At least for the time being. We figure they'll open up more about it when they're ready. Which we highly doubt will be tonight.


	10. Chapter 10

By the end of the evening, everything is finally put together. Cassie has her own bedroom next to the one Andrew and Fletcher are sharing, and everything they brought with them is put away. It wasn't much in the first place, but Jane said she'd go shopping with them the next day for things they're missing.

The kids came up with names for the pups, Rose for the red and Daisy for the blue. I actually remember that they're flowers from Earth, and the fact I remembered seemed to surprised Jane. We had to tell Joker to watch his language around the kids a couple times, but he eventually stopped complaining and sucked it up. Altogether, it was a great night.

Everyone finished dinner, talked for a while longer, then eventually left, leaving Jane and I alone with the kids. Fletcher is dozing off as we all sit in the main room, leaning against Jane and using her as a pillow as he hugs his stuffed bear. Andrew and Cassie are sitting at the corner of the L-shaped couch, and I'm next to Cassie against the wall.

"I can't remember the last time we had a meal like that..." Cassie admits with a soft laugh, but we can hear the sadness in her voice.

"Well, you'll never have to worry about that again." Jane says with a smile as she strokes Fletchers curls.

"It's still hard to believe this isn't just a dream..." Andrew mutters before looking at Jane and I. "I mean, it's _you_. Everyone knows you, and you're our foster parents."

"Not that he's complaining!" Cassie says almost frantically, as if to make sure her brother didn't offend us somehow. "I mean, I know I'm not."

"I'm not either!" Andrew says a little bit too loud before realizing Fletcher is fast asleep against Jane, and quiets down. "It's just... Amazing."

"Well, you're great kids." I say, smiling at them. "You're welcome to stay with us as long as you need. Hell, as long as you _like_."

"Garrus!" Jane exclaims softly, and I raise my hands in defense.

"Sorry. Not as bad as Joker, though, you have to admit that." She just chuckles and rolls her eyes as Cassie and Andrew laugh.

"So... I have a question." Cassie begins again. "I know Andrew and I had school lined up if we had to go to the separate homes, but... What about now?"

"Well... Actually, we hadn't thought about that." I admit, looking at Jane. "At least I hadn't. Yet."

"I actually have a little." Jane speaks up, still stroking Fletchers hair. "I can figure out a way to homeschool you if you'd like, or I'm sure there are other schools nearby that you can go to. It's completely up to you, whatever you think is best."

Cassie and Andrew look at each other, and it's as if they're having a silent conversation. It's actually quite interesting to watch. They break eye contact with each other and look at Jane.

"You have the wedding to worry about," Cassie says. "We don't want you to have to worry about homeschooling us, too."

"Are you sure?" I ask, and they both nod and smile.

"Since we're on the topic..." Jane says softly, but I can sense where this is going. I give her a look, and she gives me one back that tells me she's got this.

"Since we're on the topic, we just wanted to let you know... We're always here for you, any of you, for anything. From boys, to girls, to how much you're sure to annoy each other every now and then, to... well, talking about your parents. We just wanted you to know that. Whenever."

It's silent for a bit, and I can see Jane start to look worried that she said something wrong or overstepped.

"We were at our moms lab when it happened..." Cassie says softly. "It was the safest place in town. Everything was fully automated. Drones and mechs kept us safe, but... Everyone could tell the end was getting close because the Reapers seemed to be getting more desperate. Throwing more and more of their forces at us.

They... broke through... One of the big brute things charged right through a wall, taking out half the building with it. Our mom and dad, they... locked us in a storage room, along with a few other kids. I was the oldest, ten at the time. Andrew was six and Fletcher was about to turn two... They were trying to keep us all safe..."

She pauses for a second to look at Andrew, who's already starting to cry. She scoots closer to him and takes his hand, tears coming to her eyes as well. Jane and I just stay silent and continue to listen, but I can feel my heart begin to sink.

"We... we could hear the gunfire... People were screaming, and the things were... screeching. But then, that green pulse happened, and... it just went silent. Everything changed all of a sudden, and... someone unlocked the door. We got out, and I saw... I saw..." The tears drip down her face, and I shift closer to Cassie and pull her and Andrew into a hug.

"Hey, shh... It's okay. You don't have to go on." I say softly, and I look up to see Jane crying as well. Cassie sniffs and wipes away tears with a shaky hand.

"I-I'm sorry..." She whispers, looking up at me.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Cassie..." I say and rest my chin on her head as I continue to hug them both.

"I'm just... glad Fletcher was too young to remember... but... I wish Andrew didn't have to remember it like me..." She admits.

"Stop worrying about me." Andrew says with a soft smile, squeezing his sisters hand.

"I can't believe how strong you are..." Jane says, wiping her own tears away. That disturbs Fletcher a little, and he sits up, rubs his eyes, then climbs right onto her lap. She smiles and hugs him, and I can tell by the look on her face she's falling in love with these kids.

"You said you know what it's like... to be separated from family." Andrew says to me, still holding his sisters hand. "How?"

"My dad and sister were on Palaven when the Reapers first attacked. I was on Menae, one of the moons, helping out our forces, stuff involving the Primarch. Jane showed up to help, and it was the first time I'd seen her in..." I reach my hand out to touch her cheek, and she leans into it with a smile. I sigh before continuing. "...In too long. But that's a whole other story. I wasn't able to get in touch with them, and it got to the point I was practically sick with worry. Jane helped keep me level, told me not to worry because she knew they were alright... And they were, more or less. My sister just had a broken leg."

"Where are they now? Will they be at the wedding?" Cassie asks, and I laugh a little, which seems to confuse Jane.

"See, I was planning on keeping that a surprise." I say with a bit of a grin. Jane rolls her eyes again and stands up, carrying the sleepy Fletcher in a way that seems natural.

"It's getting late... I think you should head to bed." She says, grabbing the teddy bear from the couch.

"I hope our conversation doesn't end up making it hard for you to sleep." I say, standing up. Cassie and Andrew stand up as well.

"We should be fine, but... if it does, can we... come see you?" Andrew asks a bit nervously, and I chuckle.

"Of course," I say, my hand on his shoulder. Cassie smiles and practically pushes Andrew into the bathroom.

"You're _not_ going to get out of brushing your teeth," I hear her say, and I laugh. Jane carefully sets Fletcher down and walks with him to the bathroom, making sure he brushes, as well.

About ten minutes pass, and we've finally got Fletcher into his new bed, fast asleep. Andrew is asleep already as well, and Cassie is just settling down in her room, too. I walk out of the boys room, confused when I don't see Jane follow me out. When I turn around, I see her lean over both Fletcher and Andrew, kissing them on the head. I smile when she finally walks out, the door closing behind her.

"You're so good with them," I say, pulling her into a hug.

"So are you." Jane replies, leaning into me.

"Are you as surprised as I am?" I ask, laughing softly.

"I'm not surprised at all. I always knew you'd make a wonderful father."

I lean down to kiss her, taking her hand in mine. I start to say something else, but we hear Cassie walk out of her room and turn to look at her.

"I... Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt..." She mutters softly, a blush on her cheeks. Jane smiles and walks over to her.

"You're fine. Is everything okay?" Jane asks, and Cassie nods.

"Y-yes, it's just... I wanted to thank you again." She says, nervously tugging on the sleep shirt hanging loose over her pants. I walk over just as Jane pulls the teen into a hug, and I join as well.

"You're very welcome, Cassie." I say, looking down at her with a smile.

"W-... Well, that's all. I'm gonna... just... yeah..." Cassie trails off awkwardly as she waves and walks back into her room, and I wait for the door to close before I let out a soft chuckle.

I kiss Jane again and take her hand before leading her into our room. As soon as the door closes, she begins to undress and change into her sleep clothes; I think humans called pajamas or something like that. While she's distracted, I snatch a little box out of a drawer before walking up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist. She smiles and looks up at me, and I kiss her head now.

"I want to make it official. I'm learning more about human traditions and stuff like that, and with the help of someone _very_ close to you, I think I found the perfect way."

She looks a bit confused at my statement, and as she turns around, I get down on one knee and hold out the box. She laughs and places her hand on the side of my face.

"You do remember the part where I already said yes... Garrus, I don't need a ring."

"I know, but I heard it's a pretty big deal. Especially in your family." I say as I open the box, and the look on her face... Surprise, joy, mixed in with a little bit of confusion.

"That... that was my grandmother's ring..." Jane says softly as she looks down at the white gold diamond and pearl ring. "How did you...?"

"Your mother," I begin. "She gave it to me as a sort of... blessing, I think would be a good way to describe it. After London and the Catalyst, I found her and asked her opinion on... well... you know. She gave it to me, knowing I wouldn't give up trying to bring you back to me, and... I did."

I take it out and hold her hand in mine, slowly sliding it onto her left ring finger. I hear her sigh and laugh a little.

"It... it fits perfectly..." I smile at her approval and kiss her hand before standing up. I see tears come to her eyes, and I pull her close.

"Are you okay?" I ask, worried. She laughs a little and sniffles.

"You really need to practice telling the difference between sad tears and happy tears..." Jane says as she pulls me with her to the bed, quickly losing ourselves in each other once more.


	11. Chapter 11

The days pass as the date gets closer and closer to the wedding. Jane figured out way to bring the kids into the wedding; apparently junior bridesmaids and groomsmen are a thing. Cassie and Andrew are all set, but it took a little convincing to get the shy Fletcher to be the ring bearer. We still need to figure out an alternative for me considering Turians don't typically wear jewelry, and rings tend to look odd on us three-fingered species. We might settle for a necklace or something.

The kids, though. They have really come to steal my heart, and it's the same for Jane. In fact, we have a potential surprise for them. When the time comes.

Jane got them all signed up for school and are scheduled to start after the wedding. Fletcher will be in kindergarten, Andrew will be in grade four, and Cassie will be in grade eight. They're all a little nervous, but who wouldn't be? New people, new teachers, even new races. They're from Earth, so their first _real_ contact with anyone who wasn't a human was when they landed on the Citadel.

Fletcher has amazingly come out of his shell. Not just with us, but with everyone else, too. He's what Vega calls a "ladies man" because all the women just can't get enough of him. As it turns out, Andrew is very musically inclined. Jane got him a guitar, and he was so excited. Apparently Jane can play a little, too, which I never knew. Cassie is incredibly smart. EDI has actually started to figure out how much Cassie knows and remembers after the three years. Which, unsurprisingly, is a _lot_.

They're amazing children, and we're so lucky to have them with us.

It's now the day before the wedding. Everything is being set up, chairs are being lined in rows, and since we were unable to convince the council otherwise, the cameras are in place to share the ceremony with the galaxy. Everyone has their formalwear ready, and Jane has her gown. Apparently there's some human superstition where it's bad luck for the groom to see the dress before the ceremony, and Jane refuses to even _tell_ me about it. I've never been this curious in my entire life, but I'll survive.

I wake up to the smell of food cooking, and walk into the kitchen to see Jane and Cassie working together to put make breakfast. The boys must still be asleep, but they'll be up soon if they smell the food, too. I lean against the wall and watch for a minute, waiting for them to notice me.

They're leaning over the stove making what humans call pancakes, and Jane gets a little bit of the batter on her finger. I see her consider something for a second before wiping it off on Cassie's cheek. She laughs and grabs the sleeve of Jane's shirt to wipe it off, and they both practically burst into giggles before realizing that the pancake in front of them is about to burn.

"Oh! Crap, geez!" Jane exclaims before flipping it over, one side practically charred. Cassie laughs.

"You started it," She teases.

"Hey, you wanted to help with breakfast." Jane replies and pulls her into a one-armed hug as she flips the burnt pancake into the trash with her free hand. "Let's try that one again... without a batter-battle."

"Fine with me."

"Is something burning?" Andrew asks from right next to me, startling me a little. I laugh and ruffle his hair lightly.

"Jane and Cassie are trying to burn down the apartment." I say, and Andrew laughs.

"Please don't, we kind of live here." He says with a smirk before walking to the table. Cassie sticks her tongue out at him, which he gives right back.

I feel something touch my leg and I look down to see a sleepy-eyed Fletcher clinging to his bear, followed by Daisy and Rose who apparently have decided themselves to sleep in the boys room. They've grown a lot since they got here, now about the size of a fox.

"Good morning," I say to Fletcher with a smile.

"Morning..." He replies with a yawn, rubbing his eyes.

"Go sit next to Andrew, breakfast will be ready in a minute." Cassie tells him, and he goes to the table without another word. I walk into the kitchen to get my own food; since I can't eat what _they_ eat, I have a lot of my meals prepared ahead of time that I can just eat with them. I've barely begun to reach for it when I'm blocked by Jane, and she has an... interesting look on her face. Almost like she's proud.

"...Yes?" I ask after a pause, confused. She smiles and hands me a plate of food, freshly-made and all for a Turian.

"You... how?" I ask, kind of amazed, but incredibly thankful.

"Practice... and a lot of reading." She says before kissing me, and I put down the plate to hug her.

"I helped," Cassie says softly, as if not wanting to interrupt. I smile and pull her into the hug as well.

"Thank you. I mean... This really means a lot." I say and kiss their heads before letting them free from the hug.

"Well, it's kind of sad seeing you do your own thing every day for food." Jane says as she plates the food for her and the kids. "You know, I hear scientists are getting close to figuring out a way to make most food and drink universal. I know you've always wanted to try coffee."

"That would really be something. It'd help Tali, too." I say as I bring my plate and another to the table. I set mine down before sliding the other one over to Fletcher, and Cassie and Jane follow with the rest of the plates.

We all sit down and begin eating, and I'm incredibly surprised by how good my own food turned out.

"Wow," I say with a mouthful, looking at Jane thankfully. She just smiles and squeezes my hand.

We're all one step closer to becoming a family.


	12. Chapter 12

It's here.

The day I've been waiting for.

The day Jane and I become a true family.

Everything is in place, all the guests have arrived, all the cameras are live.

The ceremony has begun.

I'm in my place already, and a judge is to my right. Our friends walk down the aisle in pairs. First Liara and Vega, followed by EDI and Joker, Tali and Grunt, then Ash and Kolyat.

Next come Andrew and Cassie, with little Fletcher walking close behind. Andrew is surprisingly calm, but it's obvious Cassie and Fletcher are nervous. He walks a little bit faster to hold his sisters hand while still carrying the rings.

To make it a little bit simpler, Jane and I just decided on getting two rings put putting mine on a chain so I can wear it around my neck instead.

Speaking of Jane... I think she's coming. Once everyone's in place, the music changes, and everyone in the crowd stands up and turns towards the hallway she'll emerge from.

Jane turns the corner, and my heart suddenly feels like it's going to explode. In a good way, of course.

There she is. My red-haired beauty. Her hair is done up in little curls, with a short, mesh veil over her face. Her white dress is knee-length, the skirt made of something I think called tulle, and puffs out a bit. The top of her dress is simple, a heart-shaped neckline with straps. I smile when I remember her discussing dresses with Liara, and it doesn't surprise me she chose something very lightweight. She wanted to make sure her dress didn't feel like her armor.

She's so beautiful. And the way she's looking at me, I can tell she's actually nervous.

Her mother is walking her down the aisle, and it looks like even Hannah has tears in her eyes. They finally make it to the front, and she hugs Jane before letting her walk up and stand with me.

Apparently the look on my face amuses her, and she laughs softly.

"Be careful your face doesn't stick that way, Garrus." Jane whispers, and I brush it off with an awkward laugh.

"Not sure I can help it..." I mutter. "You're so beautiful."

The man speaks up, signaling the start of the ceremony, which actually ended up startling me a little. She smiles and squeezes my hand, mouthing "relax".

The next few minutes go by in a blur as the man seems to ramble on about who we are and the meaning behind weddings and stuff like that.

I just can't take my eyes off Jane.

The moment comes when we have to say our vows, and she pulls a piece of paper out of a hidden pocket in her dress. I'm taken aback a little as she speaks up.

"I've written my own, if that's okay." The man nods before Jane continues, reading from it.

"There's always been something about you; I've never been able to put my finger on it. You are the most wonderful man I've ever known. If I had to list out all the reasons I fell in love with you, we would be here for days. But for now, I'll name a couple.

"You're funny. You always seem to be able to make anyone smile, regardless of the circumstance. You're honest. You'll say whatever's on your mind, but you always word it in a way that won't be offensive, which I find very impressive.

"But most importantly, you've always believed in me, and you've been by my side since the beginning. You went out of your way to help me defeat Saren, leaving your life and everything you worked for behind before joining us on the Normandy, because you believed the ranting of some Alliance soldier. Then again with the Collectors, and finally with the Reapers. You've been with me through it all... but..." She pauses and looks up at me before reaching her hand up to softly touch my scars.

"You couldn't go on without me... and you brought me back. I don't know how, but you did, and it's because of you I'm alive now. And we can have a life together. No more wars, no more battles. We can be a family, and that's the greatest adventure I can ever imagine."

I smile and lean my head against hers as she puts the necklace around my neck, wanting more than anything to stop and kiss her. It's my turn now, but I don't have my own planned... let's see how this goes.

"I don't have my own written out, but I feel like I should at least try. Let's see how this works out." I laugh softly before taking a breath.

"I loved you from the moment I saw you. I knew I would follow you to hell and back, but I didn't realize we'd be taking so many trips." I hear the crowd laugh softly before I continue.

"You've saved me more times than I care to admit. You saved me from a life in C-Sec that I never truly enjoyed. You saved me on Omega from the mercenaries. You saved me from myself when I was hell-bent on getting revenge for the death of my team.

"You took me on an adventure. New places, new people, all while saving the galaxy over and over again. And to think that I was so lucky as to be in the right place at the right time, to know something that would ended up helping you, all while falling in love with you from the moment our eyes met." I lean down and kiss her forehead as I slide the ring on her finger.

"There is no Shepard without Vakarian." I say as I brush away her tears, and she laughs a little.

"That's it. Skip to the good part." She tells the judge, and he chuckles.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

He doesn't even finish speaking before Jane practically lunges at me, kissing me with her arms around my neck. I smile and pick her up in a hug as we kiss, finally breaking apart to breathe after what felt like an hour. The guest all stand up and cheer, and the kids run up to hug us as we kneel down for them. It sounds like the entire Citadel erupts into applause as we stand up again. I raise my hand in an attempt to get everyone to quiet down. It takes a bit, but they eventually do.

"Before we get too far, we'd like to make an announcement. I know what you all must be thinking. 'An announcement thirty seconds after they got married? What could it possibly be?' Well, I'll tell you what it is. These children here with us, Cassie, Andrew, and Fletcher, have been through so much. They were on Earth when the Reapers attacked, and they made it through. We've been lucky to have them with us for the past week to foster them, and Jane and I have come to a decision. We no longer want to foster them." There's a silence that washes over a crowd before the same social worker who introduced us to them in the first place walks up with the biggest smile.

"We'd like to adopt them, if they wish." Jane says as she kneels down again, brushing Fletcher's hair out of his face.

Andrew's jaw drops, and Cassie visibly gasps, covering her mouth with her hands.

"I know we won't be able to make up for the death of your parents, but you three have brought so much light into our life, and we hope it never ends." Jane says before they all tackle us with a hug.

"Yes!" They yell practically in unison, and the Citadel erupts with cheers once more.

In forty-five seconds, we've both gotten married _and_ adopted the kids.

It's been the best day of my entire life.


End file.
